“Jimmy Spratt is the lead unionist candidate in South Belfast; he was only 1,200 votes behind Alasdair McDonnell the last time. This was a genuine attempt to agree a single unionist candidate and was in the interests of unionism,” a DUP spokesperson told the Irish Times.

Empey refuted the offer saying it was "outrageous."

"It shows contempt for the electorate. The electorate choose their representatives. Can you imagine someone from Fianna Fáil trying to replace one of their members by someone from Fine Gael or Labour? Where would we end up if we got into that sort of thing? It is all very grubby," said Empey.

Empey countered the DUP's offer by asking Spratt to step down and allow Bradshaw to solely contest for the seat.

Although McDonnell's chances of holding the seat have increased, the SDLP has expressed little gratitude.

McDonnell said Maskey's withdrawal was a "gimmick" and SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie said the move was "nothing more than a cynical election stunt and sectarian gimmick motivated by selfish interests."

McDonnell said the move was made to pressurize SDLP supporters in Fermanagh/South Tyrone to vote for Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew rather than the SDLP's Fearghal McKinney.

"Sinn Féin’s decision is designed to do two things – sectarianize the election in Fermanagh-South Tyrone and ensure that Alasdair McDonnell, an excellent cross community MP, loses his seat,” said Ritchie.